Policy: Social Media

The White Plains Public Library is a dynamic, civic resource. Its mission is to enable all members of our community to engage in lifelong learning, find inspiration and build citizenship by providing:

free and open access to recorded knowledge,

personal guidance in its use, and

diverse opportunities for cultural exchange and exploration of ideas. In accordance with its mission, the White Plains Public Library is committed to using social media to share information about what the library offers and foster community involvement and exchange.

Social media is defined as any website or application that allows people to share information in a virtual environment. Examples include, but are not limited to, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Blogger, WordPress, YouTube and Flickr.

This Social Media Policy defines the WPPL’s purpose in using social media and describes parameters of the service and public use. This policy supplements and does not replace other WPPL policies.

Social media participants of all ages should be aware of recommended practices for personal safety in the virtual world. Examples are available at sites such as: http://www.google.com/familysafety/advice.html and http://www.netsmartz.org/safety/safetytips As with all other resources provided by the WPPL, parents or guardians are responsible for use by their children. The library does not act in place of a parent or guardian and is not responsible for enforcing any restrictions upon minors that a parent or guardian has placed.

User comments, posts and messages are welcome on WPPL social media accounts and services. The library reserves the right to monitor content posted on its social media web applications, websites and web accounts, and to modify or remove any content that it deems, in its sole discretion, to be abusive, offensive, defamatory, commercial or spam, in violation of copyright, trademark right or other intellectual property right of any third party, or otherwise inappropriate for the service. The library in addition reserves the right to edit or modify postings for space, while retaining the intent of the original post; and, to reproduce comments, posts and messages in other public venues (removing identifying information other than first name unless prior approval has been granted for full attribution).

The library does not collect, maintain or otherwise use personal information stored on any third party social media site. Users may add or remove themselves from the library’s “friend” or “fan” lists at their discretion, according to the capabilities offered by such third party sites. Users should be aware that third party sites have their own privacy policies and proceed accordingly. Social media applications used by the library include opt out from further contact.

The library respects the privacy of individual users, and will only make contact with an individual user when granted permission by that user, such as when a user asks for reference assistance, registers for a program, signs up for a notification or responds to an appeal.

By participating in the White Plains Public Library’s social media services, each user agrees to abide by the library’s policies and all applicable federal, state and local laws. By participating in these services, each user agrees to indemnify the White Plains Public Library and its officers and employees from and against all liabilities, judgments, damages, and costs (including attorney's fees) that arise out of or are related to the content posted by said user.

The White Plains Public Library is not responsible for and does not endorse content other than the “pages” and “posts” created by White Plains Public Library staff on its social media services. Any views expressed by a user of the library’s social media services are those of the individual author and do not represent the official views of the White Plains Public Library.

A disclaimer referencing this and all library policies will be posted on every social network site and service associated with the White Plains Public Library.
Adopted by the White Plains Library Board of Trustees on: 3/9/11